The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-05-28
INTERESTING REPORT.
1berville South

AA01A AAAN 1NaeHsl
The Committee appointed by
the State Board of Health, at the
request of the citizens of st. Mar
tinsyille, to investigate the report
ed cases ofleprosy existing in that
town, have submitted a report
stating that they discovered three
unmistakable cases ofleprosy, and
three more of an exceedingly
doubtful nature. OF the six cases
all are females; four adults and
two children, "fve white and (alD
close blood relations, with a histo.
ry strongly pointing to hereditary
transmission of leprosy.n The re-
port goes on to say:
"These people have been in con-
slant and familiar association with
the general community during the
whole of their lives, and notwith.
standing the fact that we have a
history of the diease associated
with this particular family, how
true or otherwise we are unable
to say, but at any rate extending
back some seventy years, yet at
the present time here are only six
cases, including even the most
doubtful, although the opportunl.
ty to spread has been all this time
unlimited.
mo such history Of disease
can possibly agree with any accep.
ted idea of contaglousness as un.
derstood by the medical profes.
sion. Your commission, there.
fore, has failed to discover any
excuse or ground whatever for
the sudden outbreak at this mo.
ment of the wild, utterly false and
probably malicious rumors which
have magnifed the cases Of a few
unfortunate children of an inheri.
tance, into a mighty epidemic Of
several hundred cases Of leprosy,
and the disease still spreading.
"If leprosy has kindled such q
panic on the score of its contagi
BUSINESS, upon the same ground
tubercular consumption and syphi
lis should fill the world with ter
ror ungoyernable for the dangers
| in favor of the latter diseases ovel
the former are as ten millions II
a single one.
"Your commission unhesitatingl.
declares that Southern Louisiana
including the parish of st. Martin
is as safe region for human habi
tation, certainly In so far as tn,
disease leprosy is concerned, a
any in the United States or in tn
world.
"We would not be understood
J az declaring that no such case cal
. occur as the transmission of lep
rosy by contact; but we are of tn
opinion if such does ever occur
the case is exceedingly rare, an,
! Is even then really a case of inocu
latlon."
The commission claim that th
} disease is preventable. Will
there is no cure, the disease cal
easily be limited to only those in
fected, and that is by isolation Il
} an asylum for lepers only, an INST
! tuition of which kind could be es
F, tablished and maintained by tn
) State or National Government
BY this mode, it is said, the dis
+. ease would soon be eradicated.
! sit is a grlevous imposition NJ
] on a community" says the CON
r mission, ITO permit lepers to go
large or even to remain in it. TIL
!. simple fact of their presence In
/. flicts a public injury" In conclu
D sion the report says:
"In the meantime, and unit
D some such remedy can be applied
!. his Honor, Cab Gardemal, Mayo
t of st. Martinsville, has assured u
] that our suggestion in their rt
I spective homes of the cases no.
q existing will be rigidly enforced'
!, "In conclusion, your committe
t must express their unqualified at
b miration of the display of exalte
s citizenship exhibited by the pee
!. pie of st. Martinsville in the tr,
y ing ordeal to which they hav
8 been subjected by mlschievou
0 rumors.n
a In speaking of land drainage
Drainage and Farm Journal CO.